1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multiprocess photographic processors. In particular, the present invention relates to replenisher controls for multiprocess photographic processors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the photofinishing industry, cine processor machines are used to continuously develop long webs of photographic film. Typically, several different sizes or formats of photographic film may be processed by the same cine processor. For example, in certain processors 110, 126 and 135 format film are processed. Other cine processors are capable of processing these three film formats as well as 46 mm, 120/220 and 70 mm format films.
In the prior art, cine processors typically have used flowmeters to control chemical replenishment of processor fluids. An operator has been required to manually adjust these flowmeters each time a new film type or film leader enters the cine processor. In general, therefore, the users of cine processors have been very dependent upon the skill of their operators for making accurate replenishment adjustments and, more importantly, for remembering to make the adjustments each time a new film type or film leader enters the processor.
As the processes and chemicals used to develop photographic film have continually been improved, the chemicals used for replenishment have become more concentrated. As a result, the margin for error in replenishment has decreased. Automatic replenishment of processor fluids in cine processors has become, therefore, very attractive.
Different photographic film (having different ASA number or different manufacturers) may require different processor fluids in different sequences for proper processing of the film. In order to accommodate various processes, "multiprocess" cine processors have been developed in the past. Multiprocess cine processors having as many as twelve different tanks for containing different processing fluids have been developed. Depending on the particular process being used, only selected tanks are used at any time. For example, one process might use tanks 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 and 10, while another process might use tanks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 11 and 12. In order to switch from one process to another, film leader is rethreaded through only those tanks which will be used with the particular process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,869 by Jensen shows a prior art multiprocess cine processor in which two different tanks are provided for different developer solutions. The Jensen patent shows a mechanical arrangement for guiding the film web through either the "A" tank or the "B" tank. The mechanism also includes relays and switches which select the recirculation pump, the temperature control, and the replenishment pump for either the "A" tank or the "B" tank, depending upon the particular tank through which the mechanism is guiding the film web.
In a multiprocess cine processor, only those tanks through which the film passes require replenishment. There has been continuing need for an automatic replenishment control system for use with multiprocess cine processors which automatically provides the correct amounts of replenishment to the correct tanks for each possible process, without requiring an undue amount of operator setup time each time a change is made from one process to another.